New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MEDIEVAL ART.

MEDIEVAL ART.
HrsToRY OF MEDIEVAL ART: BY Dr. FRANZ Won
REBgR Translated by JOSEPH TEACHER CLARKE. IL
Illustrated PIP. TAI. Harper Brothers.
Dnyon Rcber's patient study of MEDIEVAL art has
added another to the aborious German art histories
which are consulted of necessity but rarely read for
pleasure. No ono will undervalue the research and
toll which go to the making of such book nor the
worth o I such o storehouse Of information. we
owe u heavy debt to the German historians anu
biographers o! the century; every student Oh ar'
has found himself under more or ess obligation ID
writer's like Woltman and Woerman, Lucke' fassa-
want, and possibly to Waagen despite his unrclia-
bility.
In WOW of.tbe amount of examination, comparl-
son. compilation and condemnation represented by
these books, perhaps 1t IS better to treat such
work as DR.. Won Rebers simply as dictionary OF
facts, to which we may resort for definitions IL
may be too much to ask that The SUBJECT mae'er
shall be freed from the dry-asdust flavor ana maoe
interesting At all events it is useless to ask tnis
here. Lubke is more readable, but Luke Is iesss
exhaustive.
Dr. Won Reber hastens to present the reasons ior
his books existence indeed, reasons are neces
sarv when we remember the arm Of art histories.
But we may assume one of the chief reasons 10 DO
the national tendency to exhaustyeness, A" His
tory Of Ancient Art" is naturally followed by
History of Media val Art" and the latter leads to
a History of Renaissance Art" while, II the
author lives "Modern Art" may end the series
But Dr. Rebers reason for this work is not thao
he claims to add to existing knowledge but that ms
arrangement and clAssidcations are moro simpie
and natural than those of his predecessors lie mas
desired to present history OF artistic eVoiutioh
more logical and more consequential than those
with which he was acquainted" " IL he Eas sue
ceeded he hopes to benefit those readers whose oe-
sire it is TO obtain general view of the artistic de-
velopmsnt of the Middle Ages" We cannot think
that many of these readers who desire " genera
vIer" would have the courage to read through
these 700 and more pages bristling with facts.
names and dates and anything but enivening IN
STYLE. Those who conscentiously attempt such
thorough reading will be distracted by the multi
tude of details aud an absence of true perspective,
and perhaps will not do justice to the real value OF
DR. Won Reber's exhaustive studies III providing
work not for reading but for reference HIS precise
classi6c cations and definitions may sometimes seem
over scrupuous, but they will be found usetul lor
purposes of comparison and correction. mus AFTER
tracing the manifestation of Roman Heuehlsm III
the Christian subjects OF tie primitive ART OF tne
Catacombs, and amplifying the evolution OF the
Christian basilica from the private baslica of the
Roman house. he defines the influence ana hmlta-
tions of Byzantine art with a raro exactness ana
iustce His Asatic depression was hardly neces-
sarv, and the chapter which limits so severely the
influence of Mohammedan art may call forth some
differences OF opinion. The beginnings of Christian
art In the North during the Carolingian epoch forms
one division, followed by others devoted TO the De-
elnnings of Romanir architecture in the tenth CEN
tury, the supremacy of the Germans and the prog
ress of the arts in other countries. After little
breathing space the author introduces us 20 the
birth OF the Gothic and the supremacy of northern
France 10 the twelfth century. which was main
tanned for over eco years. The extension OF the
Gothic Is followed out with its decline down to the
signs OF a new awakening in Italy and the Neither
lands IN the fifteenth century.
This brief summary of headings roughly indicates
tho scope of q voluiae which is really mainly occn-
pied with the evolution of the baslica plan. 1t is
true of course that the Carolingan and Romanic
miniature paintings mosaics and sculptures were
unmportant in comparison " 18th architecture, out
in the Gothic period at least these arts deserve1
more prominen ce-uness we are to accept this DOCK
rs history of architecture only. The early Flem-
sh artists receive scant justice at Dr. Won Rebers
hands but his love of careful classification en-
hances the merit of his study of ltahaD art. lie
denies that Niccolo Psano led the Renaissance,
calls him master of tho transition between
Romantic and Gothic rather than of the Renais-
sance, and insists upon the continuance CT the
Gothic down 20 Brunelesco ,Masacico and Ghiberti.
1t will be found of interest to compare s)me of his
postions and reasons with those of his predecessors
On question, OF fact DIR. Won Refer proved in his
History of Ancient Art" that ne is entitled to
speak with The authority which rests upon faithful
and comprehensive research. We are the moro sur
prised therefore, to find him seemingly regarding
tho arss of China and Japan as indstinguishabe
and disnissing them with the ponderous sentence:
"An elevated and monumental art is Incompatible
with such aesthetic limitations and with so pro6aic
n tnrn of mind" "PrOsaic" in connection with
Japanese art Is delicious. There are other traces
of an academic Journalism and arIowness which
repel the readers sympathies, although he need
not question the ext-nt of the information collected
in this volume nor the reality of the writer's
scholarly abors The illustrations are abundant
and helpful There is an index OF places and
glossary, but the latter should either have been
ampliiod or omitted. For example, archvOlt is de-
fined as "a curved archtrave' ana architraye rs
an epistyle" but there is definition of cpistyle
for the general reader although terms as familiar
as nave an and abutment are carefully defined.